Rail mounting



Jan. 1, 1963 K. M. OPIE 3,071,350

RAIL MOUNTING Filed Jan. 24, 1961 Iwmvrom- Kim/5m M. OP/E A TTOR/VEVS'Patented Jan. 1, 1963 3,071,350 RAIL MOUNTING Kenneth M. Opie,Burlingame, Calif. Filed Jan. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 84,572 2 Claims. (Cl.256-65) This invention relates to rail mountings. The invention moreparticularly involves an improvement in rail mountmg structures andprovides means for expeditiously mounting a rail from a footing or wall.Although many types of prior art rail mountings have been developed, thepresent invention incorporates structural features with a uniqueness ofpurpose to provide an extremely simple yet highly efficient type of railmounting.

In brief, this invention comprises a rail having a grooved base that isadapted for being simultaneously mounted upon the support heads of oneor more rail supporting brackets. It has been further recognized that acommon difficulty in assembling most rail mountings is in locatingsupporting rail brackets in a precise vertical position. Therefore, theinvention further contemplates a rail mounting assembly comprisingsupport posts having vertical dovetail grooves for receiving a wedgeportion of rail mounting brackets. It will be understood that each railbracket support may be independently adjusted to the proper verticalheight, and that the rail may then be simultaneously mounted to thebrackets.

It is one primary object of this invention to provide: a rail having agrooved base for mounting said rail upon brackets, said grooved basebeing formed with convergent and depending sides extending from a commonwall and defining acute angles therewith; and support brackets having asupport head defined by a rigid, angular protrusion and a retractablescrew threaded through said head, said protrusion and said screw beingdivergcntly directed, whereby said rail may be simultaneously mountedupon said brackets with their screws in retracted positions and rigidlyaffixed to said brackets by extending said screws from said head, theprotrusion and screw of each head being placed into engagement with theacute angles of said grooved base.

Another object is to provide a rail mounting structure of the kinddescribed and further including in combina tion therewith a plurality ofvertical support posts, each post having means for independently andadjustably mounting a rail supporting bracket.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent in view of thefollowing detailed description.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which likeparts are identified by like reference numerals throughout the same,

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a stairway having a rail mounting assemblymade in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section taken on lines 22 of FIG. 1 and showingdetails of the rail mounting assemy;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on lines 44 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged transverse section normal to the rail and throughthe support bracket.

Referring to FIG. 1 in particular there is shown a staircase with a railmounting assembly 11 comprising a rail 12 and vertical support posts 13.Assembly 11 is shown mounted along the near side of the staircase andbeing supported from a side wall 14.

Rail 12 is formed with a base groove 15, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5,said groove being defined by convergent and depending sides 16 and 17which extend from a common wall 18 and form acute angles with thesurface thereof. The rail may be formed of an aluminum base metalsuitable for manufacture by an extrusion process.

Although groove 15 is an essential feature of the rail mounting it is tobe understood that the rail cross section may be of various shapes andsizes. Moreover, while a tubular type of rail is shown the inventionalso contemplates the use of solid forms of rails.

The rail 12.is mounted from each post 13 upon a bracket 19 having asupport head 20 including a rigid angular protrusion 21 and shelf-likesurfaces 22 and 23'. A retractable screw 24- is threaded through head20, said protrusion 21 and screw. 24 being divergcntly directed, asespecially shown in FIG. 5.

Support head 20 is initially mated with groove 15 having screw 24retracted. In such a condition the rail 12 may he slipped over theprotrusion 21 and rested upon shelf surfaces 22 and 23. Then, screw 24is threaded into position as shown in FIG. 5, causing the rail to berigidly held upon the supporting surfaces of head 20.

Although only one bracket support has been shown, it is to be understoodthat each of the other rail brackets is similarly constructed. Thus, therail is simultaneously mountable with each of the rail brackets.Furthermore, where a continuous dovetail groove is provided in the rail,as shown, it is immaterial as to longitudinal alignment of the rail withrespect to each bracket. If desired, the exposed portions of groove 15may be filled with molding strips after the rail has been fully mountedand secured in place.

Post 13 is supported from wall 14 by a mounting bracket 25 that isanchored thereto by any conventional means, such as screws 26 andexpansible anchors 27. The post is formed with a dovetail groove 28-extending vertically from top to bottom, and cap plates '29 are providedat both ends.

Bracket 25 includes a dovetail wedge portion 30 that extends verticallyand outwardly, and the wedge portion is conplementary to the dovetailgroove 28 of post 13.

After the brackets 25 are securely mounted to the wall 14, the posts 13are individually mounted to their re-' spective bracket members 25 bymating grooves 28 with wedge portions 30 and fastening screw members 3-1along each side. It is to be realized that since each post can beselectively adjusted in the vertical direction there is no need forextreme accuracy in mounting brackets 25 to the walls.

It will be further apparent from the drawings that groove 28 of eachpost can also be used for mounting rail bracket supports 19. While themounting arrangement of FIG. 4 could also be utilized, it is preferableto use a form of fastening means which is not visible. Therefore,fastening screws 31 are provided in the bracket 19 beneath the curvatureof the support arm 19a. It will be noted that this structuralarrangement also permits vertical adjustments to be made for eachbracket.

In view of the above detailed description it is to be realized that thenovel structural relationships will effectuate considerable savings intime and labor. Moreover, in view of the simplicity of theserelationships the rail mountings can be assembled by relativelyunskilled persons and with but few tools and supplies.

While a preferred form of this invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it will be understood that various changes in size, shape andarrangement of parts can be made without departing from the spirit ofthis invention or the scope of the attached claims and each of suchchanges is contemplated.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In combination, a rail having a continuous dovetail groove extendinglongitudinally on one side thereof, said dovetail groove being definedby convergent and depending surfaces extending from a common wall and 34 forming acute angles therewith; and a support bracket said cleatedsupport head is formed with shelf-like surhaving a cleated support headdefined by a rigid, angular faces on opposite sides thereof, saidsurface being adapted protrusion and a retractable screw threadedthrough said for supporting the depending sides of said rail.

head, said protrusion and said screw being divergently directed; wherebysaid rail may be mounted upon said 5 References Cited in the file ofthis Patent bracket and adjustably positioned thereon with said screwUNITED STATES PATENTS in a retracted position, said rail being rigidlyafiixed to 2 312 985 B M 2 1943 said bracket by extending said screwfrom said head, the 2807'834 213 1957 protrusion and screw being placedinto engagement with 2833522 gf '2' 1958 the acute angle Of Said mail 1019041314 Thorn Z: Sept. 15' 1959 2. The combination of claim 1 andfurther wherein

1. IN COMBINATION, A RAIL HAVING A CONTINUOUS DOVETAIL GROOVE EXTENDINGLONGITUDINALLY ON ONE SIDE THEREOF, SAID DOVETAIL GROOVE BEING DEFINEDBY CONVERGENT AND DEPENDING SURFACES EXTENDING FROM A COMMON WALL ANDFORMING ACUTE ANGLES THEREWITH; AND A SUPPORT BRACKET HAVING A CLEATEDSUPPORT HEAD DEFINED BY A RIGID, ANGULAR PROTRUSION AND A RETRACTABLESCREW THREADED THROUGH SAID HEAD, SAID PROTRUSION AND SAID SCREW BEINGDIVERGENTLY DIRECTED; WHEREBY SAID RAIL MAY BE MOUNTED UPON SAID BRACKETAND ADJUSTABLY POSITIONED THEREON WITH SAID SCREW IN A RETRACTEDPOSITION, SAID RAIL BEING RIGIDLY AFFIXED TO SAID BRACKET BY EXTENDINGSAID SCREW FROM SAID HEAD, THE PROTRUSION AND SCREW BEING PLACED INTOENGAGEMENT WITH THE ACUTE ANGLE OF SAID DOVETAIL GROOVE.